The Secret Diary of a TFL Apprentice - Daniel (Day 5)

Published: 26/07/2017

The Secret Diary of a TFL Apprentice - Daniel (Day 5)

Thinking about becoming an apprentice? TfL apprentice Daniel has been through the whole process from application to apprenticeship. In this diary entry he shares his first days at Transport for London and how it felt to become an apprentice.

Daniel Clifford is a civil engineering apprentice at Transport for London. This is the fifth in a series of behind-the-scenes diaries of his apprenticeship to find out what it's really like to be a TfL apprentice.

Success! Congratulations on getting your apprenticeship! What was it like to get the news?
"When I got the news that I had been accepted onto the apprenticeship for my first choice, I was elated. I knew what an achievement it was to be accepted into a programme as prestigious as this one and for my chosen field, which had very few positions. I informed my parents and went out with my friends that night to celebrate."

First day as an apprentice – did it feel different in the morning than it would going to school?
"My first day as an apprentice, was very much like being back in school for me as I had already been working for 4 years prior. I wore casual clothes to my first day, as I knew the process was over and all the hard work had been done, I wanted to wear comfortable clothes as I knew it would be an induction week."

What were your first impressions?
"My first impressions were that it was very professional and informative, with a good breakdown of exactly how the year would be structured and what we would be doing."

What happened in the first week? What kinds of things did you do? What was it like? What kind of mentoring and support did you get?
"During the first week the activities comprised of team building exercises so that all the apprentices could get to know each other. We were also sized up for our work equipment, enroled in college and took a brief tour of the workshop.

Then, we got an introduction to each of the sections we would be doing from the trainers. We also got given the names and contact information of our line managers who would responsible for us throughout the apprenticeship."